Trump Signs Executive Order Withdrawing US from WHO, Gives Reasons
The order aims to “pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO” and to “identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO.”
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization.
The order aims to “pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO” and to “identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO.”
Before his eventual order, Trump had repeatedly criticised the WHO over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, while speaking at the White House hours after his inauguration, Trump claimed that the WHO ripped off the United States. According to him the US pays more to the WHO than other countries.
A statement posted on the White House website reads, “The United States noticed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020 due to the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.
“In addition, the WHO continues to demand unfairly onerous payments from the United States, far out of proportion with other countries’ assessed payments.
“China, with a population of 1.4 billion, has 300 percent of the population of the United States, yet contributes nearly 90 percent less to the WHO.
“The United States intends to withdraw from the WHO. The Presidential Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations signed on January 20, 2021, that retracted the United States’ July 6, 2020, notification of withdrawal is revoked. Executive Order 13987 of January 25, 2021 (Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID–19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security), is revoked.
“Global System Negotiations. While withdrawal is in progress, the Secretary of State will cease negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the amendments to the International Health Regulations, and actions taken to effectuate such agreement and amendments will have no binding force on the United States.”
“This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person,” the statement on the White House website reads.
The withdrawal of the United States is expected to trigger a significant restructuring of the institution and could further disrupt global health initiatives.
The United States, the largest donor to the Geneva-based organization, provides substantial financial support that is vital to the WHO’s operations.
This marks the second time Trump has sought to sever ties with the WHO.
The administration also announced plans to review and rescind Biden’s 2024 US Global Health Security Strategy, which was designed to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats, “as soon as practicable.”
There have been plans by the World Health Organization member countries to meet over the new bird flu disease which broke out in China, with member countries meant to take decisions. This may however go on without go on without Donald Trump’s led United States.
